Conveyer system



Feb.23,1926. l 4 1,574,143

C. WHITE CONVEYER SYSTEM n Filed April v1' 1925. 4 SheeL's-Sheeel l Q Feb?. 23 1926..

C. WHITE CONVEYER SYSTEM C. WHITE CONVEYER SYSTEM FiledAprl 1 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ulf I www CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed April l I 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fill Patented Feta 23, i926.

df'lmidiilld onaannon WHITE, on san rnanoisoo, onniroiamn.

GONVEYER SYSTEM.

lpplioation led April 1, 1925.y Serial No. 15,981.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, CLARENCE lflfni'rn, a citizen ot the United States, and a resident of the city and county oi' San Francisco, State oi' California, have invented a certain new and useful Conveyer System, of which the following is a specilication.

The 'invention relates to a conveyer sys" tem particularly adapted for use in the pil .ing'or storing and reclaiming materials or articles suchas sacked sugar, sugar beets, etc., in Warehouses or open piles.

An object et the invention is to provide a conveyor system which will convey the articles to be iled or stacked to any point Within the vo umetric dimensions of a Warchouse, and which also may loe used for unstacking or unpiling the articles, taking them :trom any point in the volumetric dimensions ot the Warehouse to a destination.

Another object oit' the invention is to provide a conveyer system, the operation of which may be reversed, so that articles may be stacked or reclaimed.

A, urther object of the invention is to provide a conveyor, system including a main 'conveyor having a lined path of travel in combination vvith a distributing or reclaiming conveyor which is mounted for both vertical and horiiaontal adjustment, so that it maybe positioned in any desired location within the building.

A further object of the invention is to provide means 4for transporting articles from the main conveyer to thel distributing conveyer, and vice versa, regardless of the horizontal and vertical displacement of the distributing conveyer. y

A further object ot the invention is to provide a conveyor system comprising two superposedenain conveyors, traveling in opposite directions, in combination with aux iliary conveying means which is adyustable to cooperative relation with either 'oli the' main conveyers.

A. further object of the conveyer is to provide a distributing or reclaiming conveyer system which is movable as a Whole, so that the distributing or reclaiming station of the system may be moved to any desirable vertical or horizontal position.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the loregoing, will be set forth at length in the tollowing description Where l shall outline in 'full that' form ci the invention which l have "artmles which may be accumulated in hier the invention, as set forth in the claims, may

be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings: Figure l is a transverse section through an aisle in a Warehouse building, showing the conveyor system of my invention in side elevation, the suspended conveyor being in l its lowermost position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through a warehouse building, showing the conveyor system of my invention in elevation, the i suspended conveyor being` in its lowermost position, part of the structure being broken away to reduce the size of the ligure.

Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the conveyor system olf my invention, parts thereof being broken away to reduce the size ot the ligure. y

Figure i is a perspective diagrammatic vievv of the conveyer system of my invention., 'parte thereof being broken away to rcduce the size oi? the figure.

The conveyer system of my invention may be installed in a warehouse tor the purpose of stacking; or unstacking articles therein or may be arranged in the open Afor the purpose of adding or removing articles to a pile. The system is particularly advantageous in the stacking and 'reclaiming oi' packages such as boxes,A filled sacks and other articles, but ma be used with equal advantage on all l5 stacks or piles. In the drawings l have shown the conveyor system installed in an aisle in a warehouse building,` and in the 'tollowing specitication, the system Will be dcscribed in such environment.

ln the construction'shown in the accompanying drawings, the system comprisesa main conveyor and an auxiliary conveying system for conveying articles from the main conveyor to a selected point Within the volumetric dimensions of the Warehouse or for conveying the articles from such selected point to the main conveyor system. ln the present instance, the main conveyor comprises two snperposed conveyor belts .fl-3 extending;F longitudinally through the warchouse and arranged adjacent one of the side Walls thereof. lhese conveyor belts 2 and 3 lll) usually comprise the upper and lower runs of an endless belt conveyor, so that the tvvo conveyer belts 2 and 3 travel in opposite directions. These belts serve to convey the articles into and out of the Warehouse and to and from the distributing conveyor system. The belts 2 and 3 are supported on rollers 4 journaled in frames or runways 5 and 6 suitably supported on structural elements 7 extending from the side wall of the building and arranged adjacent said side wall. The skirtboards 8 ot the runways are preferably lormed of channel iron and the conveyers are positioned below the upper edges of the skirtboards, so that the-articles on the conveyers are held in place thereon by the skirtboards. .Either of the conveyors 5 and 6 may be employed for carrying articles into or out ot' the warehouse, receiving articles from different ends ot' the warehouse and discharging them at different endg of the warehouse, due to the tact that the tivo conveyors 2 and.3 travel in opposite directions. Means are provided for removing the articles from the main conveyers and distributing them throughout the Warehouse, or vice versa, for receiving the articles at distributed points throughout the warehouse and discharging them on to the conveyers. rIhe distributing or reclaiming conveyor system comprises a traveling .crane 12 preferably of the gantry type, the Aleg 13 of the gantry being provided on its lower end with wheels 14 which engage the rail 15 extending longitudinally of the warehouse. 'Phe other end ot the crane `is provided with wheels 16 which engage a rail 17-extending longitudinally of the Warehouse' and supported on the structural elements thereof adjacent the roof of the Warehouse. Means are provided for driving the crane, so that it may travel for the length of the warehouse and such means in the present ins Jance, comprises an electric motor 18 mounted on the crane and suitably connected by a drive 'shaft 19 With the Wheels 14 and by the drive shaft 21 with the. Wheels 16. The motor 18 is of the reversible type, so that the crane may be caused to travel in either direction. The control sivitchesrof the motor 18 are arranged in the pulpit 22 mounted on the crane and trom this pulpit the operatorcontrols the operation of the conveyer system.

Associated with the crane 12 is a distributing conveyor 23, preferably disposed to t-ravcl in a path at right angles to the path of travel ot the main conveyors 2 and 3, and the position ot the. distributing conveyer 23 is adjustable vertically, so that, due to the longitudinal adjustment of the crane and the vertical adjustment oi the conveyer 23, the conveyor 23 may be positioned at any point within thel volumetric dimensions of the warehouse. The distributing conveyer 23 is preferably a belt conveyer and is mounted on rollers 24-25 journaled in the frame 26. In the present instance, the frame 26 is suspended from the crane 12 by the cables 27 which are anchored at one end on the crane 12 and which pass under sheaves 2S on the frame 26 and over sheaves' 29 on the crane 12 to winding drums 31-32 mounted in the leg of the crane. rl`he Winding drums 31 and 32 are driven through suitable reduction gearing by the electric motor 33 which is also mounted in the leg oi" the crane. This motor is reversible to raise and lower the frame 26 and the controls thereof are arranged in the pulpit 'lhe frame 26 is `guided in its vertical movement by the guide rails 34, secured to or forming part of thecrane leg 13. (lne end ot' the i amc structure 26 is in engagement with the vertical guide rails and, in the present construction, the other end ot' the frame 26 is unguided.

The. conveyer beit 23 is driven by the reversible electric motor 36 carried by the frame 26 and the conveyer belt 23 is provided with adjustable idler` rollers 37 and 38 which may be adjusted to maintain the conveyor 23 taut. By virtue of the reversibility of the motor 36, the distributing con` veyer 23 may be caused to travel in either direction. When the upper run of the conveyor 23 is traveling in a direction away from the main conveyers 2 and 3, the conveyer 23 is employed as a distributing conveyer, and when its direction of movement is reversed, it is employed as a reclaiming or gathering conveyer. Since its function. regardless of its direction of travel, is the same, l have referred to the conveyer 23 generally as a distributing conveyer and it is to be understood that this expression includes both distribution. and gathering.

Means are provided for removing successive articles from the main conveyer and conveying these articles to the receiving end ot' the distributing conveyer or vice versa forconveying articles from the discharge end of the distributing conveyor (when its direction of travel is/reversed) to the main conveyer. The conveyer n'ieans associated with the main conveyors, is movable longitudinally of the warehouse with the crane so that it is always in cooperative relation with the main conveyors and with the distributing conveyer regardless of the horizontal or vertical displacement oi the distribnting conveyer. f

Associated with the main conveyers is a structural trame or trailer 41 provided at' its lower end with wheels 42 which preferably ride on the longitudinally extending crane rail 15. The trailer isheld in upright position in cool-)eration with the conu revers 2 and 3 by rollers 43 and 44 journalcd on shafts secured to the trailer 41 and `are ormed of channels and the rollers 43 and 44 are providedwith flanges which over- .lie thetop rail of the channels vto hold the trailer in upright position.

Means are provided for removing articles carried by the main conveyers or for placing articles thereon and these means are mounted on the trailer so that they move longitudinally of the conveyers 2 and 3 in time with the movement of the trailer'. The trailer is provided with two extensions or extension frames and 46, to'which the shafts of the rollers 43 and 44 are secured and these extension frames lie above the respective runways 5 and 6 and below the re spective conveyers 2 and.3. These frames are provided with rollers 47 over which the conveyer belts 2 and 3 travel and the upper surfaces of these rollers are disposed above the planes of the upper surfaces of the skirtboards 8, so that in passing over the frames 45 and 46, the conveyers are elevated so that the elevated portion thereof lies labove the upper edgeof the respective skirtboard.

Extending upward from each extension frame 45 and 46 at the rear or wall side of the respective conveyers 2 and 3 are plates 5] and 52 to which inclined plows or diverters 53 may be attached 'for the purpose of deflecting the article from the main conveyer. lThe position of the 'deflector or plow will depend` upon the direction of movement ofthe conveyer and is such as to cause an 1 article carried by the main conveyer to be deflected therefrom as it comes into contact with the plow. The plow overlies the elevated portion of the conveyer, so that the intercepted article is readily deflected from the conveyer. lVhen the main conveyerl is being employed .as a receiving conveyer,

' that is, when articles are being gathered' by the distributing conveyer and conveyed to the main conveyer, the plow is removed. The plow is-also removed' when it is not desired to remove the articles from the main conveyer, but to permit them to continue to ride thereon. The articles removed from Athe main conveyer are discharged onto a transverse or. transfer conveyer V54, which z-onveyer is also preferably a belt conveyer, and this conveyer 54 is movable bodily vertically so that it may be brought into cooperative relation with either of the main conveyers 2 or 3, either to receive articles therefrom or to discharge articles thereonto. The transfer conveyer 54 moves around rollers 56 which are journaled in the vertically movable frame 57 which is guided in the vertically disposed rails 58 of the trailer. he frame 57 is suspended by the cables 59 which pass over suitable sheaves on to the winding drums 61 mounted on the trailer and driven by the motor 62, also mounted on the trailer. The frame 57 on which the transfer conveyer 54 is mounted, is therefore movable vertically to bring it nto cooperative relation with either the upper main conveyer 2 or the lower mainv con'- veyer 3. The conveyer 54 is provided with adjustable idler rollers 63, by adjustment of which the conveyer 54 is maintained taut. rlhe frame 57 is provided adjacent the junction of the main conveyer and the transfer conveyer 54 with a fender or guard plate 64 which operates to prevent improper movement of the articles as they are being transferred from themain conveyer to the transfer conveyer. j

Means are provided for operatively connecting the distributing conveyer' 23 and the transfer conveyer 54, so that these conveyers 'remain in cooperative association regardless of the vertical displacement of the distributor conveyer 23 or the vertical displacement of the transferconveyer 54 or the longitudinal movement of ,the crane and trailer. Pivotally connected to the frame 26 adjacent one end thereof is a ladder or link 65 which is pivotally connected at its other end to the frame 57. This link 65v is in the nature of a truss and forms' a connecting link between the frame 26 andthe frame,57, permittingvertical movement of the frames 26 and 57 with respect to each other and serving as,

the structural connection between the frame 26 and the rame57, to cause the .trailer 4l to move longitudinally with the crane.

The link 65 is mounted at one end on the shaft 66, journaled in the frame 26 and secured to the shaft 66 is a roller 67over which the ladder conveyer 68 travels. At its other end., thelink 65 is journalcd on the shaft 69 which is journaled in the frame 57 and se cured to the shaft 69 is a roller 71 over which the conveyer belt 68 travels. The conveyer belt 68 is provided with adjustable rollers 72 whereby the belt may be maintained taut. Except when the frames 26 and 57 lie in the same horizontal plane, the conveyer 68 is inclined and to prevent slippage of the articles carried thereon, the conveyer 68 ispreferi 75 so that the conveyer 68 is driven in timey with.v the conveyer 23. The upper roller 7l 'of the conveyer 68 is driven by the conveyer 68 and the shaft of the roller'l is connected to the shaftof the roller 55 of the transfer. conveyer 54 by the bevel gears 76, so that CII the conveyer 5l is driven by and in time with the conveyer GS. The motor 36 is reversible and the reversal ot' the direction of rotation ot' the motor reverses the direction of travel of the three conveyors 23, 68 and 54.

Due to the size of the roller 67, there .is a gap between the end of the conveyerlS and the conveyei` 23, and this gap is filled by a corrugated roller T7, the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the roller G7. The corrugated roller is driven by suitable gearing T8, preferably a chain drive, from the shaft ot' the roller (3T, so that articles are readily moved from one conveyor to the other. Similarly, the grap between the conveyer 54; and the end of the conveyor 68 is lilled by a corrugated roller 79 driven from the shaft oli the roller 7l.

Secured to the trame 5T and overlying the transfer conveyor 54 is a detlector plate 82 which operates, in one direction of travel oi the conveyer 54, t0 deflect thearticle from the convcyer 54 on to the conveyer 68 and, in the other direction ot' travel ot' the conveyer 5l. serves as a` guidel for the article or which, during; such direction of movement,

ni'ay be removed. Similarly, a detlcctor plate 83 is arranged over the distributing' conveyer nl adjacent the conveyer GS. This plate 83 may he removed ivheu the couveyer 23 is employed as a distributing conveyer but, when the. conveyer 23 is employed as agatheringi conveyor. the plate 88 serves to dotiert the article from the conveyor 23 to the conveyor G8. A guard plate 8st is also arranged at the juncture of the conveyers 54 and 68 and a similar guard plate 85 is arranged at the juncture ot the conveyers 68 and 23.

The control ot' the various motors which drive the various devices forming part ot the system, is arranncd in the pulpit 22 on the crane, so that the operator may move the various parts of the system to desired relative positions or may reverse the direc tion ol motion ol parts of the system in accordance with the function to be performed by the system. By the use ot the conveyer system oiLl this invention, avery great saving of labor cost is eli'ected inthe stacking andy unstacking ot articles. The only labor required is that which removes the article from the distributor conveyer and drops it on to the pile or, during the gathering operation, ivhich lifts the article from the pile and places it on to the conveyer 23.

required to a minimum. The system is'ot p-.irticular advantage in unpilinp: the arrhandling ot' sacks ot' sue'ar which are frequently piled 'in stacks .a height of 50 This con. 'veyer may heloivered so that it is subst-airI tially waist high, thus reducing `the labor ve 7er Withthe stream of articles unabated claim:

:1. In a conveyor system, a main eonveyer,

a distributor conveyer, a, liorizontally adj ustable frame on which. said distributor conveyer is mounted, a trailer, means associated l with said trailer for removing articles from said main conveyer, and means connected to said trailer and said frame for conveying articles between said trailer and said "distributor conveyer.

2. In a conveyer system, a pair of parallel conveyers movable in dilerent directions, yanother conve-yer cooperating with said pair ot conveyers, means for moving said other conveyer in the general direction of said pair of conveyors, and means for adjustingI the position of said other conveyer with respect to said air of conveyers to bring it into cooperative relationship with either of said pair of conveyers.

3. In a conveyer system, a main conve-yer, a distributing conveyer, a frame on which the distributing conveyer is mounted,'ineans for moving said trame horizontally, means for moving said frame vertieallyand conveyingr means pivotally connected to Said tramefor transporting articles from the main conveyer to the distributing conveyer.

fl. In a conveyer system, a main conveyer, a. distributing' conveyer, a vertically and horizontally adjustable trame on which said distributing conveyer is mounted, means for removing arti-cles from the main conveyer and endless belt coiiveyer means connected to the distributing conveyer arranged to receive the removed articles and transport them to the distributing couveyer.

In a conveyer system, a main conveyer, a distributing conveyor, a vertically and horizontally adjustable frame on which said distributing conveyor is mounted, means for removing articles from the main conveyor, a f

trame carryiur said means and conveying means pivotally connected tosaid latter trame and the distributor conveyer frame vtor transporting the articles to the distributing conveyer.

(i. lIn `:,iconveyer system, a main conveyer,

a distributor conveyer, a vertically and horizontally adjustable -t'rame on which said distributor eonveyer is mounted, a trailer, a conveyer linkconnecting ,the frame' and the trailer and'means carried by the. traileritor removing` articles from tlie main conveyerv and discharging them fonte the conveyor link. U"

having .a leg, vertically disposed guides carried lby said leg, a vertically movable frame suspended on said crane, means on one end of .the frame engaging said guides and a conveyer vmounted on said frame.

20.In alconveyer system, a gantry crane having a leg, vertically disposed guides carried by said leg, a vertically movable frame suspended on said crane, means on the crane for lmoving said frame vertically, means on one end of the frame engaging said guides. a conveyer mounted on said fra-nie and means ou the. fran'ie for driving said conveyer.

21.l In a conveyer system, a longitudinally movable conveyer, a runway in which said conveyer moves,y said conveyer being disposed below the upper edge ot' the runway, means tor elevating a portion of the 0011-. veyer above the upper edge of the runway and means for removing articles from the elevated portion of the conveyer. 1 In a conveyer system,` a belt conveyer, a runway in which said conveyer moves, said conveyer being disposed below the upper edge oit' the runway, a iframe, rollers on said frame overlying the runway and underlying the belt, causing the belt to be elevated as it passes over the rollers, and means carried by the frame for removing articles from the elevated portion of the belt.

23, In a conveyer system, a belt conveyer,`

vposed oppositel'y movable belt conveyers, a

conveyer arranged at an angle to the ath of movement of the belt conveyers an cooperating with .said belt conveyers and means for moving said latter conveyer vertically to brinev it info cooperative relation .with either of the belt cmiveyers.

25. ln a conveyer system, a main conveyer, a traveling crane movable in the direction oi:l the path of movement of the main conveyer, a vertically adjustable frame carried by the crane, a conveyer mounted on said traine, a trailer associated with the inain conveyer, a link connecting said frame and trailer, a ladder conveyer mounted on said link and means on said frame for driving the conveyer thereon and the ladder convey/fer. y

26. ln :i conveyer system, a main conveyer, a traveling crane movable in the direction ol' the path ot movement of the main conveyer, a vertically movable frame carried by said crane, a distributing conveyer mounted on said trame, a trailer associated with the main conveyer, a link connecting the trailer and the frame, a ladder conveyer on said link cooperating with-the distributing conveyer, means on the tailer for removingarticles from the main conveyer, a transfer conveyer on the trailer cooperating with the ladder conveyer and means on the frame t'oi` driving the distributing, ladder and transfer conveyers.

2T. In a conveyer system, `a pair 0i superposed oppositely movable main conveyers, a traveling crane movable in the direction of the path of movement of the n'iain oonveyers, a `vertically movable frame carried by the crane, a third conveyer mounted on said frame, a trailer associated with the main conveyers, a frame carried by the trailer, a fourth conveyer mounted on said latter frame, means for moving said latter trame vertically to bring the fourth conveycr into cooperative relation with either of the main conveyers, a link connecting sa id frames and a fifth conveyer mounted on said link4 and cooperating with" said third and fourth conveyers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CLARENCE IVI-UTE. 

